UAB has developed several options for internal electronic communications. Please review the following instructions to determine the appropriate method of communication to best serve your purposes in compliance with UAB guidelines.

The eReporter

The eReporter, an electronic newsletter, is companion to the print UAB Reporter and is the recommended alternative to sending mass e-mails. It is distributed twice-weekly to all UAB faculty and staff and subscribers. To submit news and/or information for publication, use the publicity request form online at www.uab.edu/reporter. Deadlines are Monday and Thursday at 10 a.m. for publication on Tuesdays/Fridays.

GreenMail

GreenMail is an electronic newsletter distributed once a week during the fall and spring semesters and every other week during the summer to all UAB students and subscribers. It is the recommended alternative to sending mass e-mails. To submit news and/or information for publication, use the publicity request form online at www.uab.edu/greenmail. The deadline is 10 a.m. Tuesday for publication on Wednesdays.

UAB Campus Calendar

The UAB Campus Calendar is the central location for promoting all UAB campus events. Deadlines vary by sub-calendar; submit items for inclusion at least two business days in advance of event at www.uab.edu/calendar.

BlazerNet

BlazerNET offers two options of communication that can target members of the UAB community based on their status as faculty, staff or student.

Area Specific Channels are used to regularly provide ongoing information and services to particular groups about particular topics. For example, channels on BlazerNET’s Faculty Resources tab are designed specifically to deliver information to faculty; those on the Student Resources tab specifically for students.

Targeted Announcements are usually used for discrete events or one-time delivery of timely information.

To request a new BlazerNET channel or Targeted Announcement, sign in to BlazerNET and click on the help button in the upper right corner. A pop-up box will appear, from which you can select “Request a New Channel” or “Request a Targeted Announcement” on the left side, as shown below. For more detailed instructions, please follow the link below. Requests for a new BlazerNET channel or Targeted Announcement are reviewed by the BlazerNET Operating Committee and must be submitted five business days prior to the required start date.

BlazerNET Instructions

E-Mail Lists

For ongoing communications with specific groups within the UAB community, the following options are available based on the purpose of the communications.

Listservs

Listservs are used for a defined, static audience of information recipients and are necessary for lists that include recipients outside of UAB. The audience can be determined through self-subscription, or a list owner can add and remove recipients. Listservs may be set up as a one-way distribution outlet or as a virtual discussion community to which all members can post information. To request a Listserv, contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. Once the ticket is generated, you will need to attach an e-mail from your supervisor stating approval (to speed the process, please ask your supervisor to send their approval e-mail prior to opening the ticket). These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services. Please allow seven business days for the request to be processed.

Dynamic E-Mail Lists

Dynamic e-mail services are most often used for one-way information delivery to audiences whose composition may change from day or day, or even more often. Rather than relying upon statically defined memberships, each use of these services constructs its list of recipients in real-time. Distribution lists are typically developed for specific instances of communication such as sending to a specific department, a school or all occupants of a building. To request a distribution list, contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services. Please allow seven business days for the request to be processed.

Mass E-Mails

Any one-time message addressed to multiple recipients that needs to be sent from a “special” address rather than a user’s personal address is considered a mass e-mail. Mass e-mails sent to all faculty, staff and students are reserved for special circumstances and require special permissions based upon organizational hierarchy. Ultimately, these requests will require approval from the Office of the Provost. Please contact AskIT at 996-5555 to initiate the process. Once the permissions are granted, Central IT will construct the lists and send the e-mail. When submitting your request, please indicate the required send date and allow seven business days for completion of the request. These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services.

You may want to manage your own personal distribution list for groups that you will need to e-mail more than once. When sending your message, please keep in mind that the size limit for attachments is 30MB. Click on the link below for instructions on how to construct a personal distribution list in Microsoft Outlook. Alternatively, you can create a list of e-mails separated by semicolons in a Notepad document and save it. When you are ready to use the list, simply copy and pasted the e-mail addresses into the “Bcc” field (this provides privacy for your recipients, especially if some of them are non-UAB).

Instructions for Personal Distribution Lists in MS Outlook

UAB Global Address Book

Lists maintained in the UAB Global Address Book are for UAB personnel only. They are reserved for a defined, static audience of ongoing information recipients. To set up a group e-mail distribution list in the Address Book, please contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. Once the ticket is generated and approved, lists are set up by Infrastructure Services and managed by the Departmental OU Administrator. Please allow 24-36 hours for the request to be processed.

Quick Guide to Internal Outlets/Deadlines

EREPORTER

Audience: All UAB faculty and staff

Deadlines: Monday and Thursday at 10 a.m. for publication on Tuesdays/Fridays

Deadline: Publication is produced and distributed on campus every other Monday during the academic year with the exception of winter holidays. It is always posted online at www.uab.edu/reporter; in the summer months, it is not actually printed and distributed, just posted.

Work directly with Editor Linda Gunter at lfg@uab.edu for out-of-the-ordinary editorial submissions; work directly with Assistant Editor Traci Bratton at traci@uab.edu if you have a back-page ad request.